Christmas Craziness



Christmas 2007 is over. Whew! It was a rush of cleaning, cooking, visiting, wrapping, and very little sleeping. It's always a lot of fun, and I'm always glad when it's over! I feel utterly exhausted now, and ready for a long winter's nap.

The Hubster and I spent Christmas Eve Day cleaning the house, baking a cake and putting together enchiladas for Christmas Eve dinner. The Hubster's family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve with a Mexican feast. A little unorthodox, but if you knew his family...not really! They are all great people, very relaxed and welcoming. We always have a great time there.

Sarah, Rachel and Drew came down in the afternoon and spent the night at home. Rachel helped me put the tree up, because I hadn't gotten around to it yet, and because I'm a grinch! (It came down this morning, first thing!) It was kind of a big slumber party. I bought an Aero Bed. Those things are just like a big trampoline!

We were all up by 7:30 on Christmas morning, and starving to death! Rachel made her famous gluten free pancakes. The Hubster did bacon and eggs and fruit salad. The bacon was amazing! I hadn't had any since June. We opened gifts after that and then the showering began. We were all clean and ready to go to Grandma's by 11:15. Pretty good, I think.

Our family had Grandma all to ourselves this year. That's unusual, because I have three siblings. My brother had been there the weekend before Christmas, and my sisters both work in hospitals. They will both be there for my mom's birthday this weekend. I won't tell you her age, but she is the most gorgeous senior citizen I know!

Mom served a beautiful ham dinner with all the fixings and then we opened gifts. While The Hubster tinkered with Grandma's computer and Drew napped, us girls played a new game, Cranium. If you haven't played it yet, it's really fun and completely humiliating! I haven't laughed that hard in ages.

Thanks to GNoble for the comment! He drives the church bus, and keeps the rug rats under control.

Last week, I promised to post cat photos, so here they are! Murray and Sweet are our oldest cats. Murray is 11 and has diabetes. He's in good health otherwise and a nice old man. Miss Sweet is as sweet as her name. She is the Hubster's other woman!

Comments

Cheryl said…
Carol I LOVED reading your blogs!!( I read them backwards...recent first) I didn't make the name connection until you mentioned GNoble. I then looked back at previous names you mentioned and realized WHO Carol is. I miss the Christmas Programs from church!!Thank you for sharing these glimpses into your life. If I was living in Ark City I would be right there to join you at Fitzone!! You have certainly inspired me.
January 31, 2008 at 4:23 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meet Your Neighbor

Image
Note: I wrote this article several months ago for another publication. Although he was born and raised in a small town in New England, Grant Williams has come home to Arkansas City. The admitted baseball fanatic is a devoted husband to the lovely Bernice and father to four grown children, stepfather to three. Williams has traveled the world and worked a multitude of jobs only to settle here after retirement to live the thoughtful life of a poet and author. He speaks humbly of his work, listens closely and watches life unfold around him. And then, he writes. Every day. A large portion of Grant’s poems are about love, particularly his devotion to his wife, but he has penned volumes about sports, family, children, issues and our town. Williams seems to absorb emotion from life and the activity around him, and then processes it into meaningful tomes. “I love to write because I love to read,” the author muses. “Once you have something in print, you have to say, ‘I’m an author.’ You have to
Read more

Summer of Simplicity: Lift Someone Up

Image
  Hebrews 10:23-24 (KJV) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: In a hurry today? Me, too. With an endless To Do list, I don't know how I'll get it all done. If you're facing this kind of day, week or month, let me suggest something...helping others. When you're lifting someone up, shouldering their burdens, being the hands and feet of Christ, you are fulfilling God's commandments. He is so pleased with your service, our Heavenly Father will send others to lighten your load and may even reorganize your priorities. Life can be exhausting, and there are those who would spend all their time tearing others down, instead of laying a foundation of love. As you encourage those you meet, our Savior will send encouragers in your direction. Slow down and look around. Someone needs a hand up. God's time is unhurried. Why not try
Read more

Bravely Onward

Image
The day I started work at Rainbows United, I took the exit ramp onto K96 and encountered this billboard. Somehow, I felt that God had placed it there just for me. I know that Fidelity Bank in Wichita has a publicity campaign that encourages business owners and citizens to fight back against the perilous economic times we are facing. Our business had closed three months before, and I really needed a job. The billing specialist position at RUI came as a complete surprise. I knew their reputation and jumped in with both feet. Still, I was nervous. Could I do it? Was I strong enough? The billboard is still there, and I ask myself the same question every morning. What will I do? *** Notable Quote: "To go back is nothing but death; to go forward is fear of death, and life everlasting beyond it. I will yet go forward."--John Bunyan
Read more